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The Manchurian Candidate: Pu Yi's Attempt to Restore the Qing Empire

Here it is, my first attempt at an AAR. Before I get started, some info that you may want to know.

Setup:
HOI2DD: No mods
Normal/Aggressive settings
There will only be 1 cheat used in this game one time.
There will be no pictures for several reasons
1. I am a tech moron
2. I only have 6-8 hours on Tuesday evenings to play and I wont waste it doing screen shots or pictures
3. All my posts will be done from work so I have no access to game materials

This will be done in a narrative format with a sub section for how decisions affect game play.

All that being said, I would like to give recognition to a few folks for their inspiration, direct or indirect.

To Le Ran: A Few ReincAARnations More- A Tibetan AAR. The first Asian AAR that I read that seemed to draw me to the type. And also for tea and yak butter.

To Comrade Brian: Red Star Over China. An AAR with definite star power, and has also managed to break the sixth wall. I think he is on the sixth. I’ll get back to you on that.

To Tiger of Malaysia: One Hundred Years of Reform- A Qing AAR that inadvertently gave me the idea for this AAR. Hope he finishes it.

To Earth’s Savior: Rise or Fall: A Shanxi AAR who even though he has joined the army and says that he has abandoned this, will come back and finish it. Someday.

To DollfuB: Dschingis Khan Strikes Back- a Mongoliaar. If this guy can write the AAR in German and somehow translate it to English make me figure I can do this.

To rcduggan: Kathmandu Can Do (A Nepal AAR). Though technically not a warlord, he gets honorary status since he attacked Tibet first and the story is good.

To DirtyCommiePuke: Good Ambitions- A Xib…Xibei…the green China on attempt at Chinese domination, for getting almost as many posts as Walter Model without writing a single thing. Although that Scottish thing…

To Tribolute: Risky Ambitions- A Guanxi Risk AAR to piss of Myth, who inspires me everyday to shake my head and sigh, and also for the name of his AAR and having the sack to name one of his ships “Myth Sucks”.

To WinterFox: We are a Nation I’m telling you! A Sinkiang attempt at Chinese Domination and In The Spirit of Yi: A Korean AAR that I know he will get back to, for being the first to actually say to me “You should do one” and the great title for his warlord AAR.

And finally, to Myth: Great Ambitions- A Guangxi Attempt at Chinese Domination, for getting all this started, his great writing, and excellent sense of humor in regards to it all.

To all named above, you are now charter members of “The Warlord Club”. You may add this to your sig., ignore it, or in Tribolutes case, print this up and use it for toilet paper.

The first update will be tomorrow night, and I will only be able to post Wednesday through Friday and alternate Saturdays. Hope you can understand and be patient.

Pu Yi, the Kangde Emperor of Manchukuo, stared out the window at the cold clear skies above the Manchurian plains, while behind him his ministers delivered various reports on their respective governmental departments. He was listening, but he was not interested, for he knew it was all a sham. Their collective masters in Japan would never allow any meaningful independent change that did not benefit the cause of the “Greater East Asian Co-prosperity Sphere”, loosely translated to “Glorious Nipponese Empire”.

It amused him and angered him at the same time that his ministers could delude themselves into thinking that they wielded real power. But, to some people he supposed, imaginary or perceived power was better than nothing.

Pu Yi turned his body slightly towards the table and regarded his ministers. Chang Ching-hui, who served as his Head of Government and Foreign Minister, was enthusiastic in his support Pu Yi’s visions for Manchukuo, but Pu Yi’s visions extended beyond Manchukuo, and Chang was ill equipped to handle even his current duties

Li Shao-keng was truly the most talented cabinet member in the ministry. As Minister of Armaments, Li had been instrumental in meeting the quota demands from Japan while stockpiling supplies for future Manchurian use. It was Li and Li alone that had brought praise along with some breathing room from their Japanese masters.

Chin Chu-han would have to go eventually. For now he was safe due to his Japanese contacts. Pu Yi’s Minister of Security had caused so much damage and embarrassment with his anti-Japanese purges that it was making it difficult to govern. His rampant corruption did not endear him to Pu Yi either.

Pu Yi did not trust Kawashima Yoshiko, formerly Manchu Princess Aisingoro Xianyu. Kawashima’s hatred of all things Chinese coupled with her love of all things Japanese made her a dangerous commodity. But, Pu Yi could not ignore her usefulness or her talent as his unofficial Head of Intelligence. He would probably end up using her in greater and greater roles until he felt confident in his position, but when he was ready to move, she would have to go.

Pu Yi’s eyes shifted to Chi Hsing, his Chief of Staff and Chief of the Army. The old man was constantly advising him to stay out of Japan’s Chinese adventures and concentrate on building a purely defensive army, but Pu Yi did not consider the rag tag militia that he currently had as any sort of real army. He would follow Chi’s advice in regards to foreign military ventures, but after the first of the year there would be changes to Manchukuo’s military and Chi would not be happy.

Sergei Ramilcheff was an anachronism. A white Russian mercenary that served as Manchukuo’s Chief of the non-existent Navy. Sergei was not Manchurian, and currently there was no navy. He would go.

Lastly, Pu Yi’s gaze swung to the man he felt the most pity for. Yokoyama Masayuki had been forced on Pu Yi as his Chief of the non existent Air Force by Japan. Pu Yi respected Yokoyama. He was hard working, forthright, and honest. He was also Japanese. He would have to be removed before he could begin to implement his plans.

Chang was finishing up with the last of the reports. “Gentleman, that concludes the fall meetings of the Ministries. Your Majesty, is there anything you would like to say before we adjourn?”

To Tribolute: Risky Ambitions- A Guanxi Risk AAR to piss of Myth, who inspires me everyday to shake my head and sigh, and also for the name of his AAR and having the sack to name one of his ships “Myth Sucks”.

To all named above, you are now charter members of “The Warlord Club”. You may add this to your sig., ignore it, or in Tribolutes case, print this up and use it for toilet paper.

Haha, i do my part in this world. Even if it's to compete against Comrade Brain to get the most insane AAR award.

Lol, haven't you heard, i'm australian. According to the rest of the world we use sheep as toilet paper, then throw them in the billabong for a dip so we can use them again later.

Anyways, good luck with your aar. Sifn't pictures at least every so often :P.

Haha, i do my part in this world. Even if it's to compete against Comrade Brain to get the most insane AAR award.

Lol, haven't you heard, i'm australian. According to the rest of the world we use sheep as toilet paper, then throw them in the billabong for a dip so we can use them again later.

Anyways, good luck with your aar. Sifn't pictures at least every so often :P.

Aussie, well that explains alot. And at first I just though you were a smartmouth, slacker yank with no respect or use for authority. Nice to know I was wrong. And thanks for the update on the sheep. Now I know what they used to write on the lamb that skunked Work Experience boy.

"The most common lie is that
with which one lies to oneself:
lying to others is relatively an
exception.”

The Anti-Christ” Friedrich Nietzsche

Pu Yi turned at Chang’s invitation to speak. He moved purposely to the head of the table and gathered the folders that he had brought to the meeting in front of him. As he started to raise his head to speak, he froze. This was it. All the visions of his future, all the carefully laid plans came down to this, to act or to remain a pawn of the Japanese forever.

Pu Yi had been a pawn his entire life. First of the Empress Dowager Longyu, who had decided for him that he would give up the throne when she signed the “Act of Abdication of the Emperor of the Great Qing” following the Xinhai Revolution.

Then he was a pawn of the Republic of China as they maintained him lavishly in the northern half of the Forbidden City. In his ignorance and youth he had accepted this prison surrounded by fawning sycophants who maintained the façade of the Imperial Court.

After this, in 1917, he was the pawn of warlord general Zhang Xun and his short lived restoration of the throne for a brief twelve days. And finally, when he was forced to flee the Forbidden City in 1924 by warlord Feng Yuxiang, he came begging to the Japanese.

With all these thoughts of the past that came swirling through his head, and all the old ghosts that these memories brought with them, Pu Yi became peripherally aware of his ministers unease at his long silence. Out of the corner of his eye he caught them casting glances at one another, and he realized that he had become the pawn of one more nemesis, his fear.

And there was the crystal clear thought that decided it all. He would be a pawn no more. He would take control of his destiny and reclaim that which was rightfully his and wrongfully taken from him. With that his head snapped up and he slowly surveyed his ministers.

“Gentleman, we have here before us a number of initiatives that we wish to implement. Some will be acted upon immediately, the others will begin after the first of the year.”

Some of his ministers looked at each other. They had never heard Pu Yi use the Imperial plural and it had taken them aback. Pu Yi noticed this because he had expected it.

“Is there some problem we should know of?” asked Pu Yi as he looked around the table.

Chang looked nervously around at the other ministers, searching for support but finding none in the now lowered eyes or calculating looks of his peers.

“Without telling lies, do not yet
tell all the truth; do not live by
fixed principles, live by opportunity
and circumstances.”

“The Art of Worldly Wisdom”- Baltasar Gracian

Pu Yi smiled inwardly, for now he knew he had his minister’s full attention. He picked up the first folder and opened it. He then looked down the table at Kawashima.

“My first directive is to you, dear cousin. You are to create a counter intelligence network here in Manchukou. This network will be created to ferret out spies within our borders and to find any threats posed to our rule. Funds have been set aside for you to begin this task and more will be made available after the first of the year. You will begin work on this immediately. Do you understand?”

Kawashima smiled at Pu Yi, “Of course your Majesty.”

Pu Yi continued to stare intently at Kawashima until she started to squirm in her chair. It was a sensation that she distinctly disliked. After a few more unbearable moments she blurted, “Your Majesty, is there something that I am missing?”

“It seems only the clear meaning of ‘immediately’”, said Pu Yi.

Kawashima looked around the table and then back at Pu Yi in stunned disbelief. Slowly she rose from her chair and started to turn towards the door.

“You will need this.”, said Pu Yi from behind her. She looked back to see him holding the folder towards her in an outstretched hand. With as much grace as she could muster, she made her way to the head of the table, Pu Yi’s eyes on her the entire time, and bowed.

“Your Majesty”, she said as she took the folder and then left the room.

“Admiral Ramilcheff, we are in need of a full report on the state of our coastlines, limited harbors, and possible craft that we may requisition for naval usage. We will need this report for the January meetings. Since you have only a little over two months to complete this, it is imperative that you begin now. We have arranged for transportation to get you to the coast. You leave within the hour. We would suggest you spend it packing…warmly.”

Ramilcheff stood and clicked his heels while bowing his head. “At once your Majesty.” He strode forward confidently and received his folder from Pu Yi, turned smartly and exited the chamber. Pu Yi starred at the door for a moment. That was almost too easy he thought.